


In My Veins

by followinglilies



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-31
Updated: 2018-03-31
Packaged: 2019-04-16 08:32:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14160867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/followinglilies/pseuds/followinglilies
Summary: Niylah works at the Emergency Room and Octavia keeps finding herself there. As years unfold, their story continues to play out as fate brings them together in the worst ways.





	In My Veins

“Here, to keep the eyes open.”

Niylah jolted her head up from the desk as a paper cup of warm coffee was placed in front of her. The harsh fluorescent lights stung at her eyes as she blinked rapidly, trying to reorient herself.

“Sorry, Jackson. I’ll get it together.”

“No worries,” he smiled down at her, “I can’t get mad at you. There aren’t many teenagers I know who would choose to spend their Friday nights volunteering in the Emergency Room.”

Eric Jackson was a med student and Niylah’s unofficial volunteer supervisor at the hospital. Her real supervisor was an irritable middle-aged woman named Janis but Jackson was always checking in on her and the others. 

“Nowhere I’d rather be,” NIylah chuckled. At that moment it was the furthest thing from true. The last place she wanted to be at 2:13 am was behind the desk in a hospital waiting room, the top of the list being at home in bed. But she had just graduated high school and was looking to go into the health industry so she figured it would be a good opportunity. Most of the other volunteers did day shifts but it was summer and Niylah knew the late shifts were the most in need of volunteers.

“Atta girl. okay I’ve got to run but you hang in there,” Jackson squeezed her arm gently before running off down the hall. 

Shortly after Niylah was left alone with the coffee a commotion rose up from the other side of the waiting room. The doors leading from the patient rooms slammed open and two figures came out. The first was a young man, older than Niylah. He was dragging a younger girl, guiding her by the shoulders as she thrashed and shoved against him. They were too far away for Niylah to hear clearly but the girl’s shouts indicated she wasn’t happy. 

Niylah drummed her fingers anxiously on her coffee cup. She didn’t feel tired anymore. She had been volunteering for a few months but her heart still skipped a beat when she saw the clouds of pain that hovered around the people in the waiting room. 

She watched as the man attempted to coax her into one of the chairs. Eventually she gave in, collapsing with her head between her knees. The man rubbed her back and she could see it shake up and down as her body was wracked with sobs. 

Niylah couldn’t stay seated any longer. Her duties as a volunteer were technically to help visitors find their way around the hospital and answer their questions. However, she also felt obligated to check on all the inhabitants of the waiting room.

“I’m going to go check on those two over there,” she pointed to the two as she stood up from the desk. Janis grunted in agreement without looking up from the computer. 

As Niylah got closer she saw the man run a hand through dark curly locks. He looked down at the girl with concern flooding his eyes. She could tell he loved the girl but she could also see he was completely clueless as to how to console her. 

“Are you two alright?” Niylah took a seat on the opposite side of the girl. She didn’t look up and her dark hair hung down and completely covered her face. 

“I don’t know,” the man’s voice cracked a little as he replied, “it’s her boyfriend. He was in an accident. She’s upset because the doctor’s won’t let her see him.”

“I’m so sorry. But I promise, the people back there are going to do everything they can to make sure your boyfriend is alright. She looked down at the girl as she spoke but got no response.

“That’s what I was telling her. He’s going to be fine,” the man nodded a little too quickly, as if he hoped his nods would make it true. 

“I’m Niylah,” she stuck out her hand, trying to dodge the dangerous topic of promising anyone would be okay. It was one of the first things she learned during training. Never promise that. 

“I’m Bellamy, this is my sister,” his hand went protectively to her back but she shuddered away from his touch.

“Can I ask a favor?” Bellamy asked. Niylah nodded and he continued, “I’m supposed to be working tonight, I’m a janitor at nights. I know it’s not the best job but we’ve got to make ends meet somehow.” 

He was rambling, she could tell he was upset. But from the way he looked down at the girl, Niylah was almost certain he was much more concerned about his sister than about her boyfriend. 

“Anyway, I need to step out and call my boss, tell him I can’t come in. Could you just sit with her for a minute? I’m worried about her.”

“Of course,” Niylah agreed and as soon as he had walked away she knelt down in front of the curtain of dark hair. 

“Are you alright?” she asked.

“Just fucking great,” the girl spat bitterly. She whipped her head up and revealed bright, teary eyes that hit Niylah like a punch to the gut. She wanted to push past the doors and personally save the girl’s boyfriend just to dry her tears. 

“I’m sorry. I can’t even imagine how tough this is for you,” Niylah placed her hand on the girl’s knee and was surprised when she didn’t pull away. In fact, she seemed to melt underneath her touch. She slumped backwards in the chair as a few tears silently rolled down her cheek. 

Niylah stood up and reclaimed her spot next to the girl. Bellamy’s phone call must have taken longer than expected because he didn’t return for almost 25 minutes. They talked about her boyfriend, who’s name, Niylah learned, was Atom. She said they had both just graduated and were planning on spending the summer roadtripping cross-country. Then she started to explain the accident he had gotten into on his motorcycle. Her voice broke and she could see her start to fall apart again so Niylah changed the subject. She talked with her about school, family, hopes and dreams, anything she could think of to take the girl’s mind off of the horror she was currently having to live through.

Eventually, her brother reclaimed his spot and Niylah was called back to her duties at the front desk. She spent the whole rest of the night watching her out of the corner of her eye. Watching as she sat awake for hours before falling asleep on her brother’s shoulder. Watching as a nurse came out to speak with her. Watched as she received the worst news anyone in the hospital could receive. And as she watched the girl crumble down onto the floor she swore she could feel her heart breaking. As her brother guided her stumbling out the front door Niylah longed for nothing more than to run after her. But she stayed seated on the cold plastic chair and realized she didn’t even know the girl’s name.


End file.
